Southern California -- this just in

Chance of rain delays start of massive 405 Freeway project

January 12, 2010 | 10:42
am

A chance of showers has delayed the start of the $1-billion project to widen the 405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass, which had been slated to start today.

Because of expected rain tonight and Wednesday, the start has been postponed until Wednesday evening, said MTA spokesman Dave Sotero. There is a 50% chance of showers tonight, and up to a quarter of an inch of rain could fall in the area, according to the National Weather Service.

When the 3-1/2-year project is complete, commute times are expected to be reduced significantly with the addition of a carpool lane. The project also will replace bridges at Skirball Center, Sunset Boulevard and Mulholland Drive and include 18 miles of new sound walls, widening of underpasses, realigning of on- and off-ramps and standardizing northbound freeway lanes to 12 feet wide.

The first leg of construction will include grinding down pavement on the freeway's far right lane, re-striping the lanes and setting up K-rail barriers to allow crews to work without further interrupting traffic.

Work will take place generally from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and will involve temporarily closing some northbound freeway lanes, Sotero said. The project is expected to be finished in spring 2013.